Phil Hill takes first ScoRace victory in Hockenheim finale

Phil Hill claimed ScoRace Team’s first victory in the Formula Renault Northern European Cup (NEC) after working his way through from third in the season finale at Hockenheim.

Pole-sitter Doureid Ghattas held the advantage from the start ahead of R-ace GP’s Gabriel Gandulia, but Hill was not to be denied, passing the Argentine and the 2018 Champion to take the race lead.

Contact as the field competed amongst the Formula Renault Eurocup field hampered Ghattas’ progress and damaged the front wing and he would eventually take the chequered flag third behind Gandulia, with Hill’s margin of victory approximately 4.1 seconds at the chequered flag.

The runner-up spot for Gandulia also secures back-to-back NEC Teams’ titles for R-ace GP, with the French equipe holding off a late-season charge from Anders Motorsport to retain the top spot.

Hill’s victory also cements second in the Drivers standings for the karting graduate, and a positive weekend for new team-mate Sharon Scolari with a brace of fourth positions elevates the Swiss-based ScoRace team into third overall.

Phil Hill (1st) said, “It’s a fantastic way to end the season; there have been some highs and lows but it’s great to bow out with a victory at Hockenheim – my home event – as well as reward the ScoRace Team with their first win after a positive first season in single-seaters.

“Everything has been a good learning experience, from the car right down to the format and sharing grids with the Eurocup guys at four events – I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to everybody involved. It was an action-packed way to end the season with plenty of overtaking – there was so much going on in some ways the whole this is just a blur!”

Gabriel Gandulia (2nd) said, “Equalling my best result of the season with second is a good way to end the year – we’d have liked a victory but the positive is that R-ace GP are Teams’ Champions once again, so a big congratulations to them, and thank you for all their hard work over the year.”

Doureid Ghattas (3rd) said, “We had hoped to end the year with another victory, but on a weekend where we sealed the championship and took my run of victories to five in a row, we can’t be too unhappy.

“A big thanks to everybody at Anders Motorsport for their effort this year, it’s been a great experience and overall I’m very pleased with how we’ve done.”